Roche signs Parkinson's pact with 23andMe

Roche’s Genentech unit has linked up with personal genetics company 23andMe to identify new therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease.

The aim is to generate whole genome sequencing data for some 3,000 people in who are already members of 23andMe’s “Parkinson’s disease community”. Financial terms have not been disclosed but the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the latter will receive $10 million upfront and up to $50 million in milestones.

Once the multi-year collaboration is completed, 23andMe says it will be able to conduct additional research on the data and make the information available “to Parkinson’s researchers from around the world”. The company stressed that “de-identified individual-level data” will only be shared from those who provide “explicit permission” to do so.